Automatic coal burner



Dec. 16, 1930.,

A. OUSDAHL AUTOMATIC COAL BURNER Filed Feb. 10, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet l a 9 i a o Nla INVEN I'OR Adolph Ouadahl MXM. W

Dec. 16, 1930. I a A OUSDAHL 1,785,456

AUTOMATIC COAL BURNER Filed Feb. 10, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet- 4 INVENTOR Adolph Osdah? ATTORNEYS 'Dec.16,1930. AOUSDAHL' 1,785,456

AUTOMATIC COAL BURNER Filed Feb. 10, 1925 SSheets-Shet 5 I NVENTOR 7 ATTORNEY Dec. 16, 1930. v A. OUSDAHL 1,785,456

AUTOMATI C COAL BURNER Filed Feb. 10, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 F E INVENTOR dahl .5 p w Patented Dec; .16, 1930 UNIT D; STATES PATIENT OFFICE" ADOLIEH OU SDAHL, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON AUTOMATIC COAL BURNER Application' filedlelimary 10, 1925.- Seria1 No. 8,294.

My invention relates to coal burning apparatus and more particularly to .the mechanism for handling the coal anddelivering it to a fire-pot or burner. Ina companion application, Serial No. 8,295, filed February 10, 1925, I have more particularly described the. type ofburner for which my apparatus is particularly intended and designed, but

it will be evident that the features forming the present invention can be employed with other types of burners and I do not desire to be restricted, therefore, solely to the type of burner shown herein or described in coIiz-nect1on with my compamon appllcation referred to above.

My; burner as a whole is flexible in the sense that when high temperatures are re-- quired, or when the attainment of a giventemperature is desired in a short space of time, it is possible to forcethe machine, and

by feeding additional-coal to generate-additional heat without waste of coal. This is accomplished, as described in the companion application referred to, by the employment ofa rotary grate and certain feeding and control mechanism associated. therewith. 1

It is an object of the present invention,

therefore, to provide fuel handling apparatus for use in connection with such a burner whereby the action of the 'burner may be speeded up and thedevice made extremely flexible to enable it to feed coal to the burner at ratesvarying from a minimum, just sufvenient, and readily assembled or disassem- 5 bledwhen the occasion requires.

A further object is the provision of such a burner in which the several parts are compactly yet simply arrangedand one requirmg theminimum of bolts, screws and like permanent securing means, yet withal, sturdy 5 and well-built.

are readily accessible, which are operable during operation of the machine, and which v A further object is the provision of an intermittent 'clutch mechanism particularly designed for employment with such coalhandling mechanism which is simple, cheap, enduring and effective, both to release the drive connection during periods of rest and to grip it during the driving periods.

- A further object isthe provision of control means for such a burner all of which may be controlled either manually or automatically.

My invention comprises the-novel. parts and the combinations and assembly thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings, described in the specification and particularly defined by the claims terminating the same.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention in a form which is at present preferred by me.

Figure 1 is a eneral elevation of the entire-- machine, parts eing broken away.

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereofs Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of F igure 2. v I

Figure 4 is a plan view taken substantially on line 44 of Figure 3, a portion being broken away. v

Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is 'a detail elevation of the control 'me chanism. ficient to maintain the fire properly, to a- -35maximu1n which will-rapidly attain a de-,

, Figure 7 is an axial section on line 7-7 of Figure 6 and Figure 8' is a transversesection on the line 88 of Figure 7, illustrating the clutch mechanism. Figure 9 is a detail of the mounting of the feed screw. 4

Figs. 10,11, and 12 are details of a clutch 9o mechanism I employ,'Figure 10 being a side elevation with the elements disengaged, Fig

ure 11 being a like view with the elements engaged, and Figure 12 bein a transverse section on the line 12-12 of igure 11.

As has been noted above, the complete apparatus comprises coal handlingand feeding mechanism with which this application is particularly concerned, and coal-burning mechanism which formsthe subject-matter 100.

of my companion application. The burner is indicated at 9 (Fig. 1) and may be of any suitable type, particularly a burner'capableof functioning through a wide range of rates of feed. Conveniently it may be of the type shown and described in the companion appli: cation, wherein a rotary grate is employed, this being driven through a feed screw 1 ex-- tending through a coal conduit 92 connecting the burner 9 with the feed mechanism. An air conduit 93 alsoextends between the burner 9 and the feed mechanism to deliveiair from a fan shown as enclosed within a casing 80, to the burner. I have shown means such as the conveyor 90 for removing ashes from the burner 9 to a point where they can be raised by an elevator 94 into a suitable receptacle such as the ash-can 95. 'The conveyor 90 and elevator 94 may conveniently be driven through a chain 96.extending about a sprocket wheel 97 operated through the feed mechamsm.

Coalis delivered froma hopper 70 into acoal chamber 71 formed in a casing 7 which-is supported on the base or bed frame 77 as' shown in the drawings. A second chamber '72 is formed in the casing 7, this forming an d air chamber and being in communication with the fan housing 80 to'receive air therefrom. The air conduit 93 and the coal conduit 92 are connected to the outlets of their respective chambers, the coalconduit preferably extending through the airconduit.

- Extending throughthe coal chamber 71. and through its outlet 71' and thence through the coal conduit 92 to the burner 9, is the feed screw 1. Thisis designed to advance v92 and to the burner.

coal from the chamber 71 through the conduit One end, that nearest the burner, is supported in any suitable manner, although preferably both ends are supported alike, and in the manner. shown in Figures 3 and 9. Thus an extension 10 of the feedscrew'shaft extends throughthe wall of the casing'7 opposite the outlet 71' and is journaled in a bearing member 73secured -upon the casing. The head 12, formed orsecured on the end of the extensidn ,10, is -re- 'ceived; in a socket 11 in the end-of the feed screw 1, thus alining the feed screw and-its extension. The drive connection between the two is formed by a transverse key 13, secured .in a' slot 14 in the end of the extension 10 and head 12, with itsendsproj ecting beyond the head 12 to be received in transverse notches 15 (see Figure 3) inthe end of the feed screw 1. This drive connection may be reinforced, or even formed solely, by making the head 12 and its socket 11 non-circular. These parts are held in enga ement by the i securement of the bearing mem er 73 in place, I and the securement of the arm 7 7, as will be explained hereafter. Thus the feed screw can be separated from the extension 10 by movement axially of the latter, the arm 7 7 and bearing member 73 beingfirstunfastened, but the feed screw, being engaged endwise with the extension 10, will "be rotated by the extension, 10 when the latter is rotated. It will be noted, also, that the conduits 92 and 93 are likewise held in position by being inserted by axial movement into the correspondpling to a transverse shaft 82, i; e. shaft extending transversely across and above the axial line of the screw l, and journaled in a gear box 66 supported upon the casing 7. -and carrying a worm pinion 6. The connection between the motor shaft 81 and the shaft 82 is preferably one which is readily disengageable and engageable without the employment in the coupling itself of screws,

bolts or the like, and as shown in Figure 5 comprises a leather or like flexible disk 83 received in acup 84 in the hub 84 of the fan 85 Pins 86 secured in the hub 84 are received in holes arranged in the disk 83 for the purpose, and pins 87 secured in the hub 88 secured upon the end of the motor shaft 81 are likewise received in'holes provided in the disk 83. By placing the motor shaft and the shaft 82 in substantial alinement, engaging the pins 86' and 87 in the disk 83 and.

then securing the motor 81 to the bed frame 7 7 as by means of the bolts 89, a secure connection is made tothe transverse drive shaft 82 and considerable space is'saved. As. will N be apparent from Figure 5, the connection of the motor can in this way be made within the fan housing and a coupling to the motor shaft is thus eliminated. Further, the device can readily be disassembled, merely-by the removal of the boltsv 89 and as readily can be assembled.

The worm pinion 6 meshes with a worm gear 61 secured upon a counter shaft 60 which -is journaled in the gear box 66 and which extends .parallel with the extension 10 and.

preferably thereabov e. shaft extends the drive connection for they From the counter feed screw 1. This, in the present embodi- 4 ment includes a sprocket wheel or pulley 62 upon the counter shaft 60' outside of the gear box 66 and connected through achain 63 to a sprocket wheel 56 mounted upon but not secured to the extension 10. The sprocket Y I 'wheel 56 is continuously rotating and-forms part of or'is secured to a clutch element 50 which rotates continuously about the extension 10Jand which cooperates with a comple- I mental clutch element 5, the latter being keyed to the extension. 10, as indicated at 51.

These cooperating clutch elements 5 and function as do the ratchet wheel and dog, respectively, of a ratchet drive, except as they are engageable at any point, without being dependent upon the exact location of teeth. Preferably the clutch element 5 is provided with a peripheral flange 52 and-the elements 5 and 50 are connected through two or more shoes 53 which are'secured-to rotate with the member 50 and which when expanded will engage the flange 52 of the element 5 to grip the same. I

The shoes 53 are formed of some gripping material, any which is suitable for the purpose being employed. Preferably,-but not essentially, two such shoes are employed, each semi-circular in shape with their ends substantially abutting; At one end the abutting ends are provided with a hole 54, half of the hole being in each shoe, the hole being countersunk to provide a taper 55. Fitting in this countersunk hole-is a taper-headed screw 57 which is received in the rotating clutch element 50 and which if screwed down sothat its tapered head presses against the taper of the hole, will tend to spread the ends of the shoes 53. By this means adjustment for wear is accomplished in a simple the spreader cam 59 is secured externally of the clutch element 50 and the sprocket wheel 56 secured thereto, and have mounted there-- on an arm 45 which is "arranged to be move by engagement of a cam follower 41 with a two-partcam 4, 40, forming the clutch ofper ating mechanism.

It is desirable, in the interest of insuring proper operation of the clutch notwithstan inglongwear without adjustment or attention, that some yielding connection be-pro- 'vided between the clutch-actuating cam 59,

and its operating-means, the cam members 4 and 40. This engagement of the arm 45 may therefore be through a second arm 45', shown in Figure 6 as embracing the arm 45 in the shape of a U, and yieldingly held thereagainst by means of a spring 46.

The cam member 4 is pinned to a sleeve 42 which is held against rotation by securing it or an arm 42 connected thereto, to the bed frame 77 or an arm 77' secured thereto. This arm 77 also serves "to support the outer end of the extension 10. Within the sleeve 42 is journaled a second sleeve 43 which itself is journaled upon the extension 10, the cam member 40 being pinned to the sleeve 43 to oscillate therewith. To control movement o-fIthe sleeve 43 and consequently of the cam apin'44 of the arm 44 is engageable.

By proper manipulation of the arm the cam members 4 and .40 may be made -to as sume their minimum combined angular extent,-or may be moved angularlyt relative toeachother .to cover a more extended angle. The two part cam 4, 40 lies in. the plane of rotation of't-he cam follower 41. and as the latter rotates with the continuously rotatable 'clutch member 50, the two-part cam is engaged thereby and as the follower 41 passes this cam the .arm 45 is oscillated to move the spreader cani .59 and thus to connect the two clutch members 5 .and 50. This rotates the.

feed screw 1 in a direction to advance the fuel, the ratio of the period of advancement to the period of rest being determined by the I ratio of the angular 'extent of the two part cam 4', 40 to the complete circle of 360.

In Figure 4.1 have shown a damper 78 between the outlet of the fan housing 80 and the air chamber 72. This I} have shown as oscillatable, bein'g'mounted upon an oscillatable shaft 79 extending parallel with the extension 10 and feed screw'l. At one end I have secured upon this shaft 79 an arm 37 having a camfollower 36-secured thereto. This cam follower bears upon a cam surface 30 of a cam 3, which cam is secured preferably to the sleeve 43 to oscillate therewith.

I The cam surface 30 is so arranged-that as the sleeve 43 is moved to reduce the amount of feed of the feed screw 1 in the manner heretofore described, thus cutting down theamount of fuelsupplied, the damper 78 willbe closed by an amount corresponding therewith, thus cutting down the amount of air supplied to the burner. As the rate of feed a ofithe coal isfincrea'sed the amount ofair supplied is likewise increased and by an amount which will compensate for. and consumethe additional coal supplied; By employing a set screw 33 to secure the cam 3 to the sleeve, 43, it is possible readily to vary the proportion of increase'in air to increase of fuel supplied by means of adjustment of r the cams 4, 40. I

This feature of automatic regulation of the amount of air in accordance with the amount of fuel supplied is one of considerable importance'in my invention and contributes in large measure to the ability of th device to handle greatly varying amounts 0 coal in a given period of time. It will be evident in this connection that the control of thehandle law control shown.

o 44 might be other than the purely manual In kindling fire it is strong draft, yet it is impracticable to ad- Vance the coal through the fire-pot until it is well started. To allow operation of the fan by, the motor, yet to prevent advancing the feed-screw 1 at'such times, I may provide a;

; pressed towards the sprocket wheel 62 by a spring 68, is' engageable therewith through engagement of the pin 67 with a shoulder 69 upon the member 68 The member 68 in turn is connected to the shaft60 through engagement of a radial pin 67' with the same shoulder 69. .For driving engagement the pin 67 is received in a recess 69. To disengage it. the member 68'is drawn outward in opposition to the spring 68, is then given a slight turn about the shaft and then rests upon the shoulder 66', thus holding the member 68 beyond the end of the pin 67, as is seen .in Figure 10. In this position the motor may operate to drive the fan, but as the sprocket wheel 62 is not inengagement with the member 68 or the pin 67, it may not rotate, and the coal is not advanced by the feed screw 1; A slight reverse turn of the member 68 reengages the clutch, and places the mechanism in condition to advance coal through the conduit 92.

It is desirable to provide means for maintaining the entrance to the coal chamber 71 free of obstructions andfilled with coal at all times,'and for this purpose I may employ an agitator in the form of a finger 2 mounted upon a shaft extending through the bot- 1 tom of the hopper 70. The agitator 2, or several of them if the fuel is found to require more than one, is slowly rotated through a suitable connection to the drive means, and as shown through a ratchet wheel 21 secured upon the shaft outside of the casing 7, and a ratchet dog 22 engageable therewith and carried by an arm 23, which arm is oscillated regularly by rotation of an eccentric pin 24. upon 'the countershaft 60, the pin being engaged in a slot 25 in the end of the arm 23'.

It will be noted that the sprocket wheel97 through which the ash removing-mechanism is actuated, is intermittently driven through the same arrangement as the feed screw 1 is driven. Thus the ashes are collected as rapidly as they are formed, but if the rate of feed of coal is increased the rate of removal of the ashes is likewise. increased to correspond therewith, The entire device is com-' pactly arranged,'the'countershaft being arranged above the drive connections and all drive and control connections being cendesirable to create a tered upon the extension 10. All parts which placed at one side of the hopper, may lie beneath a flaring side thereof and by the connection of the motor described above this may be brought very close to the fan. This not only saves in floor space, but in the Cost of castings, and the assembly permits economy through elimination of securing means except where essential.

What I claim as my invention is 2 p a 1. i In coal burning apparatus, in combination with a burner, an air conduit discharging into said burner, a damper therein, a feed screw,discharging into said burner, a continuously rotating power source, an intermittent drive connection between said power source and the feed screw, means comprising a two-part adjustable cam for varying the ratio ofthe rest period of said intermlttent drive connection to its active period, a second cam adjustable with said first cam and operatively connectedwith said damper to increaseor decrease the opening of said damper in accordance with the increase or decrease in the ratio of active to rest periods in the intermittent drive connection, and means for varying the initial setting of said second cam angularlyrelative to the firstlcam.

2. In coal-burning apparatus, in combination, a feed screw including a shaft, an ex- I tension operatively connected to said shaft,

a two-part cam upon said extension of the.

feed screw shaft, one part being stationary,

a sleeve mounted upon' said extension and carrying the other part of said cam, means for adjusting said sleeve and the cam mem-' ber carried thereby angularly relative to the stationary cam member, a clutch upon said ,extension and comprising one member fixed thereto-and a second member continuously rotatable thereabout, and means carried'by said rotatable clutch member and engageable by said cam to determine the period of engagement of the clutch members. I

3. In-coal-burning apparatus, in combination, an airconduit, a damper therein, a feed screw including a shaft, an extension of said shaft operatively connected thereto, a twopart cam upon said extension ofthe feedscrew shaft, one part being stationary, a sleeve mounted upon said extension and carrying the second cam part, a second cam carried by said sleeve and movable therewith, said sleeve and the second cam carried thereby being oscillatable to vary the total angular extent of said two-part cam, a clutch upon said L extension and including one member fixed thereto and a-second member continuously rotatably thereabout, means carried bysaid rotatable clutch member and engaging said two-part cam to cause the engagement of the I] clutch members, and operative connection between said second cam and sald damper, sand second cam being oscillatable with its sup-' porting sleeve, and so-formed and, disposed,

relative to'the first or two-part cam, that the damper is opened or closed in accordancewith' the increase or. decrease inangular extent of the first cam. v T 4. In coal-burning apparatus, in combination with a burner, a caslng defining an air chamber and a coal chamber each having an end outlet, a coal conduit'and an air conduit connected to the respective chambers in the casing and discharging into said burner, a.

feed screw including a shaft extending through the coal chamber and conduit, an

. extension from its shaft without the casing and opposite the coal chamber outlet, a hopper above said coal chamber, a fan positioned beside said coal chamberand hopper and connected to discharge into said air chamber, a drive shaft extending transversely of the feed screw axis, 'a motor operatively connected to said drive shaft, a countershaft upon said extension and engageable by said clutch-operating means as the latter rotates. a damper interposed between said fan and air conduit, means for adjusting said clutch control means to vary the period of engagement of the clutch elements, and means operable simultaneously with said latter means i to correspondingly adjust said damper.

5. In a coal burning apparatus, in combination, a burner, a coal hopper, a fan, coal and air conduits connecting, respectively, the hopper and fan with the burner, a coal feed screw in said coal conduit, a damper inesaid air conduit, a continuously-operable intermittent drive means for. said feed screw,

' means for adjusting the ratio of active to rest periods in said intermittent drive means,

means mounted independently of said adj usting means but operable thereby to vary the setting of said damper in the air conduit in ac cordance with the adjustment of the feed screw drive means, and means for varying the setting of said damper independently relative to said feed screw drive control means.

6. In coal burning apparatus, in combination, a coal chamber, a hopper thereabove, a coalconduit leading from one side of said chamber, the opposite side thereof being apertured, a feed screw in said conduit and chamber, a bearing at said aperture, a separable extension shaft for said feed screw journalled in said bearing,'drive means for said screw coupled to said extension, said bearing being, secured externally to said chamber to close said aperture when in operative position, said'feed screw being removable through-said aperture upon removal of said bearing and ,drive means. I p 7-. In coal burning apparatus, 1n combination, a casing defining a coal chamber and an air chamber each having an outlet facing in the same direction, and forming a socket, said coal chamber having an aperture opposite said socketed outlet, a burner, a coal conduit and an air conduit parallel thereto, and each connecting with the burner and seating in the socketed outlet of its respective chamberto connect the burner therewith, a feed screw extending through said coal conduit, and having drive-means extending outwardly through the aperture of said coal chamber, opposite the coal conduit, bearing and drive means therefor adapted to be secured exteriorlyof said coal chamber to close said aperture and to support and drive saidfeed screw, said feed screw being removable by axial movement through said aperture upon removal of said bearing member, and said conduits being disengageable from the chambered casing by like relative axial movement.

8. In. coal burning apparatus, in combination, a casing including a coal chamber and an air chamber each having a lateral outlet forminga socket,-a burner, a coal con duit connecting said burner with said coal chamber, and seating in the socket at the outlet from said chamber, an air conduit having its axis substantially parallel to the axis of said coal conduit, and similarly seatmg in the socketed outlet from the-air cham-' ber, and connecting the latter with the burner, a feed screw extending through said coal conduit, drive means for said feed screw, and a non-circular socketed drive connection between said feed screw and its drive means,

casing, and discharging into said burner, a-

feed screw extending through the coal chamber and conduit, and includin a shaft, an extension of said shaft extending through the casing at the side 0 posite the coal chamber outlet, a hopper a ove said coal chamber, a drive shaft extending transversely of the feedscrew axis, a fan on said transverse shaft dischar 'ng .into said air chamber, a motor operatively connected to said 'drive shaft, a ountershaft above and parallel to said feed screw shaft extension and connected to be drivenv continuously. by said transverse drlve shaft, drive means connecting said'extension and said countershaft and including a variable step-by-step drive-associated with said extension, and control means operable step-by-step and. mounted upon said extension. F -.10.' In coal burning apparatus, in combination with a burner, a casing-enclosing an air chamber and a coal chamber having adjoiningoutlets, a coal conduitand an air conduit connected to the respective chambers in the casing, and discharging into said burner, a feed screw extending through the coal chamber and'conduit, and including'a shaft, an extension of said shaft extending throughthe casing at the sideopposite the coal chainher outlet, a hopper above said coal'chambem: a fan positioned beside, said coal chamber and hopper and connected todischarge into said air chamber, a drive'shaft extending trans-- versely of the feed screw axis, a motor outward of the fan and operatively connected to said drive shaft, a countersha-ft' above and parallel to said feed screw shaft extension and connected to be driven continuously by said transverse drive shaft, drive means connecting said extension and said counter-shaft and including a variable step-by-step drive associated with said extension, and drive control means mounted uponsaid extension burner for confining the screw conveyor in the conduit and for journalling the end' of.

thescrew conveyor remote from the burner, supporting means for said journalling'means provided with an opening therethrough lengthwise of the conveyor screw and larger is released, and to be replaced again by movement lengthwise of the conveyor screw, of means remote from the burner for confining the screw conveyor in the conduit and, for journalling the end of the screw conveyor remotefrom the burner, said means including a shaft the inner end of which .has a socketed supporting and driving'connection with'the end of said conveyor screw, 'a bear ing member providing a bearing .for said shaft adjacent ,said inner end thereof, and means providing another bearing for said shaft nearer the outer end thereof, support-' ing means for said bearing member provided with an opening therethrough lengthwise of the conveyor screw and larger than the cross dimensions of the conveyor screw, and at which opening said bearing member is removably secured to said supporting means, whereby the screw conveyor can be withdrawn lengthwise by operations at the end of the screw conveyor remote from the burner, and drive means connected to said shaft.

Signed at Seattle, King county, Washington, this 4th day of February, 1925.

4 ADOLPH OUSDAHL.

than the cross dimension of the conveyor screw, and at which opening said ournall1ng means is removably secured, and a shaft rotatable in said journalling means, said remote end of the conveyor screw being releasably connected to the end of saidshaft for support and rotation by the latter.

12. In an automatic coal burning apparat s, the'combination with a burner,;a sub stantially-horizontal material-carrying conveyor conduit extending thereto, and a screw conveyor in said conduit arranged to be with r awn lengthwise from the burner and conduit when its end remote from thebumer 

